Machine for making piano-hammers



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. DOLGE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING PIANO HAMMERS.

No. 586,018. Patented July 6,1897.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. DOLGE. MACHINE FOR MAKING PIANO HAMMERS.

(No Model.)

Patented July-6, 1897.

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v A. DOLGE. MACHINE FOR MAKING PIANO HAMMERS. No; 586,018. Patented July6,1897.

WITNESSES: INVENTDR vzgf'reczfiazye. 8404 (2- G2 M9. BY

ATTORNEYS Unrrnn STATES PATENT Fries.

ALFRED DOLGE, OF DOLGEVILLE, NEW YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,018, dated July 6,1897.

Application filed January 29, 1897. Serial No. 621,195. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

' Be it known that I, ALFRED DOLGE, a'oiti: zen of the United States,residing at Dolgeville, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Piano-Hammers, of which the following is a specification.

By means of this machine or apparatus felt for piano-hammers can becrimped and glued and, if required, a piece of veneer inserted, as intothe felt, for the treble-hammers or at the treble end of a set ofhammers; and the invention resides in the novel features of constructionset forth in the following specification and claims andillustrated inthe annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of anapparatus for making piano-hammers. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3is a section along o c, Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a section along to w, Fig. 1.Fig. 5is a section alongwx, Fig. 3, enlarged, showing a compression-jaw.Fig. 6 is a section alongyy, Fig. 3, enlarged, showinga crimping orc-rimper-actuating screw. Fig. 7 is a section along a .2', Fig. 1. Fig.8 shows a piece of felt before crimping. Fig. 9 shows a crimper ashaving crimped a piece of felt.

Fig. 10 shows the compression-jaws as hav-.

ing compressed a piece of crimped felt, the crimper not yet beingwithdrawn from the felt. Fig. 11 is a view like Fig. 10, the crimperhavingbeen withdrawn or moved out of the crimped felt. Fig. 12 shows infull lines the treble-hammer felt as having been crimped, thebass-hammer felt portion being indicated by broken lines. Fig. 13 showstreble-hammer felt as having been crimped and compressed, the crimperhaving been withdrawn and a piece of veneer or filling having beeninserted into the felt or crimp.

A support or legs 1 carrya table or support 2, onto which can be placeda removable form or trough 3. A roller 4, Figs. 1 and 2, facilitates theform being run or slid onto and off the table, the side of themachine-frame being suitably arched or open to allow the placing andwithdrawal of the form.

The form has upper molds or compression pieces 5, which can be slid onthe form, as from the position shown in Fig. 8 to the position shown inFig. 10. When in the position of the bolts or screws 16.

tion shown in Fig. 10 and there secured, as by boltsor fastenings 6,said molds 5 will hold a felt 7 crimped or compressed. The bolts orfixing devices 6 can be slid-ably mounted on or connected to the form 3in any suitable well-known way, as by slots or guides, along which thebolts can slide and at any suitable point of which they can be clampedor fixed. The form 3 also has lower molds 8, Fig. 8, and when the felt'7 has been pressed or crimped into the lowermolds 8 by crimper 9, asseen in Fig. 9, and the upper molds 5have been run or fixed against thecrimped felt, as seen in Fig. 10, and the crimper 9 having beenwithdrawn, as seen in Fig. 11, said felt will be given a crimped form.By gluing the contacting faces of the crimped felt or causing said facesto adhere the felt is prevented from spreading or uncrimpin g when freedor taken from the molds 5 and 8.

The crimper 9 is run or moved toward and from the form 3 by the meanspresently described. Said crimper 9, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4, isconnected to a crimper-carrier 10, jointed or pivoted, as at 11, to abeam or re ciprocating piece 12. The crimper-carrier 10 by being pivotedcan be moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 to present the crimper 9 tothe form, or said crimper 9 can be swung away from form 3, as seen inFig. 4, and for a purpose to be presently explained.

The beam or piece 12 is connected to the screws 13, so that a properrotation of the screws will move or slide the beam 12 up or down. IThese screws 13 each run through a tapped bushing 14, secured to anupper part 15 of the machine-frame by fastenings or bolts 16. Thebushings 14 and frame 15 have perforations 17 and 18, Fig. 6, for therecep- By having the perforations l7 and 18 differentially arranged orvariously spaced-as, for example, by having four holes 17 and six holes18-each bushing 14 by a comparatively slight turn to the right or leftwill always bring two holes 17 and 18 into correspondence for thereception of a bolt 16 for fixing the bushing 14. Such rotationofbushings 14 adjusts the screws 13 higher or lower, as required, forbringing the crimper 9 into proper position or elevation relative to theform 3 or for leveling the beam 12 or crimper carrier 10.

ICO

The screws or actuators 13 have feather connections with gears 19, Fig.3, so that the rotation of gears 19 rotates the screws 13 and the lattermove longitudinally through bushings 14. These gear-wheels 19 areactuated by gear-wheels 20 on shaft 21, Figs. 1 and 3. Theoppositely-rotating pulleys 22 are mounted on a sleeve 23, which can beslid along the shaft 21 by a shifter or lever 24. As one or another ofthe pulleys 22 is forced into contact with one or another of thefriction-disks 25, fixed to shaft 21, the latter is rotated in onedirection or another to turn the gears 20 and 19 and the screws 13 oneway or another.

The treble-hammer felt, as known, is comparatively small or thin, and aencer or filling-strip 26, Fig. 13, glued or secured into the crimp orfold of such treble-hammer felt-,has been found to be at times ofadvantage. This veneer is connected to the crimper-carrier 10, Figs. 3and 4, by screws or detachable fastenings 27, which when loosened orfreed allow the veneer to detach itself from the carrier 10, so as to beleft inserted in the felt. The carrier 10 when swung to the positionshown in Fig. 4 is in position to insert or slip the veneer into thefold of the felt. This carrier 10 has shoulders 28. On the beam 12, oron a suitable base or flange part thereof, are slidable blades 29, Figs.3, 4, and 7, connected to the beam 12 by pin and oblique-slotconnections and 31. A lever or handle 32 enables the blades 29 to beslid longitudinally one way or another and this sliding by theoblique-slot connections 31 causes the blades to move toward and fromone another or toward and from the beam 12. When the crimper-carrier 10is either in the position shown in Figs. 3 or 4 and the .blades 29 arespread or separated, one or another of the crimpershoulders 28 is caughtby one or another of the blades to hold the carrier 10 fixed to beam 12.A retraction of the blades 29 frees the carrier to enable the latter tobe shifted or swung on pivot 11.

The molds or compression slides 5 are moved to the felt 7 by jaws 33,Fig. 3, actuated by oppositely-run screws or threads on rotary shafts35. The jaws 33 are provided with bushings 36, tapped for the engagementof threads 34. These bushings are connected to the jaws by bolts orfastenings 37, and by having the bushings 36 and jaws 33 provided withdifferentially arranged or variouslyspaced openings 38 and 39, Fig. 5,for the reception of bolts or screws 37 a slight or partial turn of thebushing 36 one way or another for slightly adjusting the respective jaw33 toward or from form 3 will bring two of the openings or holes 38 and39 into correspondence or alinement for the reception of a bolt orfastening 37. The jaws 33 have lugs 40, Fig. 5, running along ways orguides 41.

Each threaded shaft connects by gear 42 with a thread or worm 43, Fig.1, on rotary shaft 44. The oppositely-rotating pulleys 45 are mounted ona sleeve 46, which can be shifted by lever or handle 47 along shaft 44to bring one or another of pulleys 45 into engagement with one oranother of the frictiondisks 48, fixed to shaft 44, for rotating thelatter one way or another to cause the jaws to approach or recede fromthe form 3.

The jaws 33 when properly adjusted and approaching one another willcenter the molds 5 or the felt 7 therebetween, or bring said molds intoproper position relative to the crimper 9. At the thin or treble part ofthe felt, however,a centering device maybe found useful. This centeringdevice comprises levers or bell-cranks 49 and 50, Fig. 4, fulcrumed at51. Springs 52 normally tend to separate or swing apart the lever-arms50. The lever-arms 49 contact with or engage noses or arms 53, Fig. 1,projecting from a shaft 54, having a handle or actuator 55. Thelever-arms carry screws 56, which can be accurately adjusted and fixedby lock-nuts 57 \Vhen the screws 56 are properly set and the handle 55is moved to make rock-shaft 54 strike or press the lugs 53 against theleverarms 49, the lever-arms 5O swing toward one another and contacttheir screws or adjustable faces 56 with the molds 5 to accuratelycenter the latter. These centering-levers 49 and 50 need only be appliedat the treble'part of the molds to center the treble portion of thefelt.

The form 3 is of any suitable shape, such as taper, to properly receiveand hold the molds 8 for forming the lower or contacting part of thehammer-felt. The molds 8 when driven into such taper-shaped form ortrough will be held securely in place and can be renewed or changed tofit different sizes of hammers or felts. The molds or compressionpieces5 when made of brass have been found not to stain the felt. The actingfaces of the molds 5, which contact with the felt, are properly shapedto form the upper or thinner part of the felt. The top faces of themolds 5 taper or grow thinner from bass to treble, and a knife, chisel,or suitable tool passed along said top faces will remove all surplusfelt or glue. By oppositely threading the screws or worms 43 on shaft 44such oppositely-threaded screws will tend to neutralize the end thrustof the shaft. Such opposite threading can also be employed for the wormsor gears 20 of shaft 21. Of course in such opposite threading care mustbe taken to correspondingly alternate the respective threads of thegears or screws 19, 13, 42, and 34 to insure proper movement and causevarious parts to properly coact.

The girder or beam 12, it is understood, does not rotate with the screws13, but said screws run the beam 12 rectilinearly toward and from thefelt in form 3. The lever or handle 55 can be stopped or held fixed by apin 58, Fig. 4, passed through a hole in the handle 55 and into asuitable one of a series of holes in the bed-plate or table part 2.

The operation of the machine is readily uni felt.

derstood. The pieces of felt to be formed and glued are cut to thedesired shape. Such a piece of felt of the length required tapers frombass to treble to suit the various hammers to be made. The form 3, withmolds 5 and 8, being slid into position, the felt to be glued or shapedis placed on top of the lower molds S, Fig. 8. A suitable strip ofveneer 26 is clamped in place by fastenings 27. The properfriction-pulley 45 is now brought into action to rotate shaft 44 formoving the jaws and molds 5 until the latter begin to pinch the felt atthe bass part. The machine is then stopped and the lever-handle 55actuated and then locked by pin 58 at the proper position, so as to movethe molds 5 inward or toward one another at the treble end by means ofthe lever-arms 50, as described. The screws or contactors 5 6 in thelever-arms 50having been properly adjusted will secure the requiredcentering at the treble end or portion of the This centering of thetreble end can of course be accomplished either before or after thecentering of the bass end. The felt having been centered, the properfriction-pulley 22 is brought into action to rotate screws 13 forforcing the girder or beam 12, with carrier 10 and crimper 9,toward thefelt. This crimper 9 can be practically made of sheet-steel, and cominginto contact with the felt forces the latter into the mold 8, Fig. 9.During this movement the proper lower friction-pulley 45 is brought intoaction against a friction-disk 48 to cause the molds 5 to move to theposition shown in Figs. 9 and 12, Fig. 9 showing the bass and Fig. 12the treble part. When the crimper 9 has forced the felt into the mold S,the shaft 21 is stopped. The jaws 33 and molds 5 continue to compressthe felt until it assumes the shape shown in Figs. 10 and 13. As themolds 5 have now closed onto the felt and have moved away from the stops56 in bell-cranks 49 and 50 the pin 58 is drawn out and the leverfurther depressed or actuated and the pin 58 inserted into another holein table or part 2, so as to leave a space, say about a half of an inchclearance, between the molds 5 and stops 56. The side screws 34 are nowreversed and the jaws 33 drawn back sufficiently for the crimper towithdraw and for glue to be introduced into the joint or fold in thefelt. The fold in the felt at the bass end if opened, say about aninch,and at the treble end, say about half of an inch,will have openedsufficiently for the withdrawal of the crimper and for the introductionof glue. The crimper having been raised or withdrawn, the holder orcarrier 10 is swung or shifted to bring the veneer 26 into the positionformerly occupied by the crimper 9, asindicated in Fig. 4. The gluehaving been applied to the joint or fold and the veneer 26 fed to itsproper position or into the fold, the side screws 34 are set in motionto bring the molds 5 together with the felt therebetween, as seen inFigs. 11 and 13. The clamps or bolts 6 being now tightened prevent themolds 5 from slipping back, and the veneer-holding fastenings 27 beingloosened or released the carrier 10 can be run away from the felt,leaving the veneer therein, as seen in Fig. 13. The surplus felt, glue,and veneer being trimmed off and the jaws sufficiently retracted theform is removed and another one inserted or placed on table 2. Theremoved form being put aside for the glue to set, the machine cancontinue operating as long as available forms are ready for insertioninto the machine.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A form provided with molds or pressurepieces, combined withcompression-jaws for the molds, and actuating bushings and screws forthe jaws, said bushings and jaws having differentially-arranged fasteneror bolt receiving perforations substantially as described.

2. A form and crimper, combined with a holder for the crimper, and anactuator for the holder, the holder having a veneer-clamp which theholder is jointed or movably secured to permit the crimper to be set outof the work-engaging position or adjustment, said holder being providedwith a clamp or releasable holding device for engaging a veneersubstantially as described.

5. A form and crimper, combined with a holder for the crimper, and anactuator provided with locking-slides and to which the holder is jointedor movably secured to permit the crimper to be set out of thework-engaging position or adjustment, said holder being provided with areleasable veneer carrier or clamp and with shoulders adapted to bealternately engaged by the locking-slides for presenting the crimper andthe veneer to the form substantially as described.

6. A form provided with molds, combined with centering-levers, arock-shaft for actuating the levers, and a handle for the rockshaftsubstantially as described.

7. A form and crimper, combined with a holder for the crimper, and anactuator provided with locking-slides and to which the holder is jointedor movably secured to permit the crimper to be set out of thework-engaging position or adjustment, said holder being provided with areleasable veneer carrier or clamp and with shoulders adapted to bealternately engaged by the locking-slides for presenting the orimper andthe veneer to the form, and centering-levers for adjusting the Workrelatively to the crimper and veneer, said levers having adjustablefaces or contactors substantially as described.

8. A form and crimper, combined with an actuating-screw for the crimper, a bushing for the screw, and a frame for supporting the bushing,saidbushing and frame having differentially-arranged fastener or boltreceiving perforations substantially as described.

9. A form provided with lower molds fixed in the form, upper molds mademovable toward and from one another across the top of the form,compression-jaws or actuators for the upper molds, and clamps or fixingdevices ALFRED DOLGE.

\Vitnesses:

WILLIAM DOLGE, E. F. KASTENHUBER.

